Interview with Thales Alenia Space, sponsor of the International Year of Astronomy
L 'International Year of Astronomy was a global initiative that has reached 148 countries during the entire duration of 2009, bringing the discoveries and the wonders of this fascinating scientific discipline in the face of the general public. To finance the ambitious project, among other sponsors, are Thales Alenia Space, the Franco-Italian company leader in Europe for satellite systems. At the closing ceremony event, held in Padua a few days ago, we met George Vincent, head of business line, optical observation and science of society.
What led Thales Alenia Space to become one of the three main sponsors of the International Year of Astronomy, along with Celestron, a manufacturer of telescopes and optics, and satellite television channel History?
Our company has always been at the forefront with regard to astronomical research. Over 10 percent of our business, in fact, are devoted to space science. Among the more recent examples of projects in which we participated, we recall the Planck and Herschel satellites , launched in May last and dedicated to the study of the early universe, and the satellite CoRoT , about a year ago announced its first discovery in the quest for planets outside the solar system . Clearly, our part of any project not end with the launch of the satellite, but we are aware that from the point of view of astrophysics, that moment is only the beginning of a long series of exciting new discoveries. The International Year of Astronomy, however, is not so much an initiative aimed at the scientific community as a range of activities for the dissemination and general awareness to the issues of astronomical research. What prompted Thales Alenia Space to support this project?
Greater awareness of citizens about the ongoing challenges of scientific research results in a greater willingness of the citizens before the investment of resources in those areas. This is vital for scientists and at the same time, represents for us a greater demand as the scientific world turns to us for the development and implementation of advanced technological elements needed to push further and further the goals of research. Once acquired and developed, this technology is available to be used in commercial products, falling back on the population. The list of technological breakthroughs that have been reached only to meet the needs of scientists and which became commonly used is long and includes products of all kinds, including even the materials of baby diapers, originally developed for astronauts in space.
Impact on society apart, what are the astronomical projects in which Thales Alenia Space will be more involved in the near future?
We are directly involved in multiple projects. Among the most spectacular, remember ALMA, an observatory for astronomical observations in the radio waves, composed of more than 60 antennas and is currently under construction in the desert of Chile, and ExoMars, a mission that will land on Mars and will pick up rock samples from the subsoil of "Red Planet" to better understand the composition and find any traces of past life forms and / or present. These projects are very long, often lasting over a decade. But before the satisfaction of the results is always an unforgettable experience.
CLAUDIA MIGNONE
image, the Planck satellite (left) and Herschel (right), who searches the world's first in the microwave band, the second in the infrared. Launched by ESA in May 2009, are currently operating at a half million miles from Earth. Image and ESA AOES Medialab.
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